Shakira's newborn son already FC Barcelona member

Barcelona, Jan 24 (IANS/EFE) Milan Pique Mebarak, the newborn son of Colombian pop star Shakira and Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, has become a member of his father's FC Barcelona club at birth.

Former club director Amador Bernabeu, Pique's grandfather, registered the baby with member number 171,761 Wednesday, just hours after he was born Tuesday night at a Barcelona hospital.

The team's current ambassador to UEFA formally registered his great-grandson in the company of the vice president of FC Barcelona's Social Area, Jordi Cardoner, having previously received the gifts traditionally bestowed by the club on its newborn members.

Twenty-five years ago, Bernabeu also registered his newborn grandson, Gerard, as an FC Barcelona member.

"The day (Pique) was registered 25 years ago I promised I'd make his son a member. I thought he should continue the tradition and, therefore, that his son should have the same honour and be a (member) from the very beginning," Bernabeu said.

FC Barcelona is led by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi and several members of Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, including defenseman Pique.

The soccer club has arguably been the world's best thus far this century, having won three of the past seven UEFA Champions League crowns. It also is the favorite to win this season's title.

--IANS/EFE

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